Collection Listings

Printers

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Description:

The 2631 was a family of printers that included the 2631A, 2631G and 2635. They were dot matrix printers with a print speed of 180 characters per second. The 2631B was priced at $3,350 and the 2631G was priced at $4,250. Characters were printed in a 7 x 9 dot cell matrix. The 2631A/B printers were text-only. The 2631G also had graphics capability, with a resolution of 72 dots per inch. All the printers were designed to handle multipart forms.

The 2631 began shipping in October of 1977. HP shipped the 5000th unit in December of 1978. The 2631B replaced the 2631A in June of 1980. By September of 1982, HP had shipped 21,000 units of the new model. The original 2631A and 2635A used printheads made by Hydra Corp. HP purchased the manufacturing rights to these printheads and began manufacturing in-house in June of 1978.

2631 are terrific workhorse printers. Over 75% of the museum's tested units are in fully functioning order (not including the pallet of 15 or so untested units). The printhead is advanced via a drive screw rather than via a drive belt. This mechanism is very reliable and easy to clean/lubricate. Sprocket paper is fed from directly underneath the center of the printer. This paper flow is as good as that of any printer in the museum. As with most of the old printers, the sound-absorbent foam glued to various internal walls crumbles over time and becomes messy.

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